Horsburgh

The lands and barony of Horsburgh lie near Innerleithen in Peeblesshire. The ruins of the tower of the same name still stand, and according to Black, ‘the first of the race is believed to have been an Anglo–Saxon designated, “horse”, or “orse”, whose settling on lands on the north bank of the Tweed there reared the castle which communicated the present surname to his descendants’. Simon de Horsbrock witnessed a charter to the monks of Melrose Abbey in the reign of Alexander II. William de Horsboroch is recorded as a notary public in the diocese of Glasgow in 1287. Alexander Horsbrock of that Ilk is recorded in 1479. The arms recorded by Nisbet of a silver horse’s head on a blue shield are clearly canting, or punning, on the family name. James Horsburgh, a fellow of the Royal Society, was a distinguished hydrographer at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1810 he was appointed hydrographer to the East India Company. He published numerous works on maritime subjects, which were to become standard authorities in that field. The name is still found in the Borders and around Edinburgh. The last of the name to hold the barony was Lady Horsburgh of Horsburgh, through whom it recently passed to the family of Chinnery.